Dishabille
by RockedSocks
Summary: Jack and Kate get caught in a compromising situation.


_Disclaimer: I own no "Lost" related things; this is just for my own amusement._

_Yes, I am posting 2 fanfics in one night. Clearly, I need to get out more. I couldn't sleep, they're both written quickly from ideas that have been plaguing me, don't expect too much, it's __5 am_

_"Dishabille"- derived from the French "déshabiller"- to undress. _

**Dishabille**

Sun had told her about this place. Secluded, quiet, and well away from the camp. It was a small waterfall, so small you couldn't hear it until you were virtually on top of it, where sunlight filtered through the trees and the water sparkled invitingly. She could see clear to the bottom which meant there would be no surprises- she still shuddered at the thought of what she and Sawyer had discovered the last time she'd decided to go swimming.

Sun's suggestion solved two problems for Kate. First that it was so difficult to stay clean on the island, and secondly, it was so hard to find a moment alone. Since they had ended up on this island, she had enjoyed _not_ being alone. It was nice to be part of a community again. Kate knew she was one hell of an actress, but over the past few weeks, her interactions with people one the island- tentative friendships with Sayid and Charlie and Claire and more recently Sun, harmless flirting with Sawyer, the beginning of actually trusting Jack- none of that had been an act.

She sighed, not wanting to dwell on it. She had done what she had done, and there was no going back now. She was well acquainted with consequences, after all.

She tried to put all that aside and focus on the gorgeous scene in front of her. Nothing like a swim to clear her head anyway.

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He'd stumbled across the place a few days ago, hadn't mentioned it to anyone, but as he approached the clearing, he discovered it was not only his discovery. He froze just inside the shelter of the jungle, partly because he truly didn't want to disturb a quiet moment, and partly because he didn't know what he'd say to her if he did. They had been all right over the past few days, their conversations light and inconsequential, but nice. He wasn't sure if he could trust her, but he'd also found that he couldn't stay away from her, and he didn't want to.

He didn't get very far in considering it, because in the next moment she dropped her bag in a decisive movement and pulled her shirt over her head and Jack was dragged into a war with himself. He could do the right thing and either leave or alert her to his presence before she got any further in undressing, or he could do the voyeuristic thing and stay right where he was. He was a man accustomed to doing the right thing, but he was also human.

While he was debating it, she had kicked off her shoes and shed her jeans as well, and he could not help a smile. Over the short time they had known each other, he had seen her in so many different moods, situations, and encounters, and yet some stood out in his mind more than others. And he thought this would be one of his favorite images of Kate, caught as she was in a ray of sunlight coming at a particular angle though the trees, a gesture as common as sweeping an escaped lock of hair behind her ear became suddenly fascinating.

She stepped into the water only up to her ankles hesitantly, and finding it quite warm, took a deep breath and ducked under completely.

Jack's conscience got the better of him, and he was going to turn and leave her to swim alone, when the slight shift of his foot snapped a twig. Her head snapped around.

_Oh no_.

Hidden as he was by the foliage, he wasn't invisible.

"Jack?"

He stepped out of the dense jungle, wishing fervently that he had listened to his better instincts. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"I just came. I mean, I found this place a few days ago, but I didn't know anyone else…well, I didn't want to disturb you, so I was just going…"

"No that's okay." She said in a rush. "I mean, do you want to swim?"

There was a breathless moment while he hesitated. She gave him a teasing smile, "C'mon, I won't tell anyone you actually had fun…"

He glanced down, smiled slightly, then shrugged. "Okay."

"Okay."

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She didn't exactly look away as he shrugged off his shirt, but she didn't stare either. As he waded in, she caught a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Was that a smile Doctor?"

He glanced up and gave her a real smile, going so far as to reveal a dimple. "Caught me." He ducked his head under the water and came back up, and she was distracted by rivulets of water falling over his shoulders and down his chest. So distracted that he said something she didn't even hear, and then gave her a strange look when she said nothing in response.

"Sorry, what?"

"I asked how you found this place."

"Sun…showed it to me…"

She had been about to say Sun told her about it, but she had promised to keep that secret, as much as she wanted to tell Jack. He had an uncanny sense of telling when she was lying, even if it was something as small as this, so she avoided his gaze by tilting her head back and pulling the elastic band that held her hair up, letting the water fan her hair out behind her.

"The thing about the beach is that the sand gets everywhere, especially in my hair. It drives me crazy," she explained. Her eyes were closed, but she could sense he was moving by the water swirling around her. She was surprised when she felt a slight tug on her hair, she whipped around, and glared at him. "Jack!"

He was disconcertingly close to her in the water, so close that he could reach out brush back a lock of hair clinging to her cheek, and his fingers lingered there longer than necessary. She was very still for a moment, afraid to move for fear of running whatever was going to happen. Their relationship was so uncertain now. She could not help feeling a pang of deep disappointment when he let his hand fall away and put a step between them.

"I should get back to the camp."

Of course. There were small moments where she saw him forget and relax, and then she could always see the change in his eyes when he remembered. He didn't trust her, he probably never would. She nodded, unable to explain or articulate, even in her own mind, the crushing disappointment she felt. She followed him out of the water, and then saw that he was watching her every movement. As soon as she caught him, he quickly averted his eyes, but too late, she already felt a blush creeping into her cheeks. She quickly pulled on her jeans, feeling suddenly self-conscious. She searched for something, anything, to say in order to break the loud silence between them.

"The garden is coming along pretty well," she finally managed.

_Well, that was inane._

He cleared his throat. "Good…that was…a good idea."

"Well, it was all Sun's idea, I mean she knows-" She finished putting her hair back up and turned to reach for her shirt, and her attempt at casual conversation faltered when she found him staring at her, the look in his eyes sending a jolt of heat through her. Jack had never looked at her like that before, not that she had seen. For what seemed like a lifetime but was probably not more than a few seconds, the heavy, humid air of the island seemed to shimmer between them, and then she saw Jack make some sort of decision, she saw the change in his face that he had resolved something he was struggling with.

In an instant that took her breath away, he crushed her against him, his mouth covering hers. Her hands came automatically to his shoulders to steady herself, his skin warm and still damp under her hands. His hand slipped down her back to her waist, making her shiver ever so slightly. As well as his mouth exploring hers, Kate let herself go into the intoxicating sensation of skin against skin, and-

"Oh bloody hell!"

They stumbled apart to find Charlie, at the edge of the clearing, staring at the both of them with his mouth slightly open. Ironically, it was not the first time he had caught them both half-dressed. He took several steps back, stumbling slightly.

"Sorry, I-"

"No Charlie, it's not…"

"It's none of my business…" he insisted, averting his eyes.

"No, but it's not what it…"

Charlie was not listening, obviously wanting to get out of the awkward situation as quickly as possible. "I have to go…..somewhere else…" He disappeared quickly into the jungle.

Jack turned to look at her, as she was trying to hold back a smile. She saw him relax, smile, and then shake his head slightly. "Go ahead and laugh Kate, I know you want to."

She did, just before he kissed her again…


End file.
